1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feed device for use in copying machines, printing machines or the like, and more particularly to a paper feeder in which a stack of paper sheets is retained and which has separating pawls for lightly holding the forward corners of the stack so as to feed the sheets one by one from the top of the stack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Copying machines, printing machines, etc. are generally provided with paper feed devices for feeding stacked sheets one after another by rotating feed rollers in contact with the uppermost sheet. To feed the sheets separately one by one, some devices have separating pawls for lightly holding the forward corners of the stack. With such feed devices, the feed rollers rotate in pressing contact with the uppermost sheet, advancing the sheet in the feeding direction. At this time, the sheet buckles between the feed rollers and the separating pawls, whereby the sheet is separated from the other sheets and delivered from the device.
However, the separating pawls, which are designed to project into the sheet stacking area, are a hindrance to the loading or changing of a stack of sheets. To eliminate this drawback, separating pawls have been proposed which can be pivoted on opposite side plates for laterally confining the sheets to a specified position and which pawls are turned upward when sheets are to be loaded, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,706 (Mihojevich et al.). This proposal, nevertheless, is still unable to fully overcome the above-mentioned drawback since the separating pawls are located in the stacking area above the sheet support plate even when turned to an upward position.